Hybrid cars

[Donnywolf]

Agreed Wolf.

I've never had an automatic car myself but had lots of auto hire cars. I cannot see the attraction of manuals anymore. And it'll save my marriage too. The number of times I gently say to Mrs S-T, "Err...you're still in 4th" at 80 on the motorway...

I'm picking up a Prius later this week. Going to be interesting seeing what that's like.

You will be impressed I think but my big tip is to develop your "smile" ready for when people step in your path in Car Parks etc - although some of the very latest Models of Cars on sale now have to "play" a sound like an engine to prewarn pedestrians

[BillyStubbsTears]

Wolf.

Yeah, that is a worry. Especially living in the Studentville part of Sheffield where they tend to walk into the road then look later.

[Ldr]

Wolf.

Yeah, that is a worry. Especially living in the Studentville part of Sheffield where they tend to walk into the road then look later.

Supermarket car parks are where you need to worry, idiots walking out blindly with trolleys

[Donnywolf]

They simply dont hear you coming - when my mate pulls away after dropping me off the noise is only the tyres on the road

So those in Car parks maybe chatting amongst themselves can be forgiven for not looking - and some of them could win the high jump from a standing start when they realise

[Filo]

I have an automatic, never go back to manual now, it’s been a godsend this last 12 weeks while I’ve had a broken left ankle, and it makes towing the caravan a breeze

[Axholme Lion]

You don't want a VW with a DSG gearbox. If that breaks so will your piggy bank.

[BillyStubbsTears]

So I picked up a MK3 Prius at the weekend. I'm a convert already. Very impressed. 65mpg driving up hill and down dale in Derbyshire, where I used to struggle to get 35 with my old BMW520. And it goes like buggery if you put it in power box and floor it.

It makes so much sense. 130-odd HP there if you need it when you combine the engine and the battery. But unless you drive like a dick, you only need that briefly, so you can then get all the efficiency benefit.

I reckon it'll pay for itself in 4 years with what I'll save in fuel and tax savings compared to my old car.

[albie]

With Tesco and VW rolling out the charging points at stores, with free top up, the savings on fuel are going to be big;
https://pod-point.com/rollout/tesco-ev-charging

Everyone will know someone with EV soon....once that tipping point is reached, it will take off massively.

[Janso]

I'm just waiting on the decent ones to come into my price range in the second hand market. Might be a few years yet like, I need something that doesn't take forever to charge and has decent range as I drive all over the country in normal times with Rovers.

[Axholme Lion]

With Tesco and VW rolling out the charging points at stores, with free top up, the savings on fuel are going to be big;
https://pod-point.com/rollout/tesco-ev-charging

Everyone will know someone with EV soon....once that tipping point is reached, it will take off massively.

The only ones we are selling are to fleet customers (for tax reasons), the public at large are not taking them up.

[RobTheRover]

I've got a Merc c-class 350e, which is similar to the 330e BMW do.  2 litre petrol engine plus a 80kW ish electric motor mounted in series and through the gearbox.  It can use the petrol engine and electric at the same time and does 0-62 in 5.8secs. Silly fast.

2 years old now and I've done 35000 miles in it, 12,000 with the engine off. My average mpg over this period is 60.1mpg.  I charge it every night. Show me another 2 litre petrol car that can do that fuel economy.  I popped out up to Wheatley Hall Road today, knocked into electric only mode and went there and back without the engine starting up once.

I'm just considering changing it to the CLA 250e, which is a 1.3 petrol unit but a bigger battery and more than double the electric only range. Sacrifices 1 second on the 0-62 time, but I'm OK with that.

[albie]

With Tesco and VW rolling out the charging points at stores, with free top up, the savings on fuel are going to be big;
https://pod-point.com/rollout/tesco-ev-charging

Everyone will know someone with EV soon....once that tipping point is reached, it will take off massively.

The only ones we are selling are to fleet customers (for tax reasons), the public at large are not taking them up.

I agree fleets will be the leader, given the current price of new EV.

Over the UK as a whole, the data supports that a big change is underway;
https://www.smmt.co.uk/vehicle-data/car-registrations/

Maybe Axholme is a bit behind the curve, at the moment.

I reckon if you are in the industry, it is about positioning for 2/3 years down the line!

[RobTheRover]

The Government is expected to cut that death of petrol and diesel date by a few years soon too in support of Climate Emergency targets.

[Campsall rover]

You don't want a VW with a DSG gearbox. If that breaks so will your piggy bank.

Or Audi. My wife has an Audi A3 5yrs old and in May at 44,000 Miles the megatronic unit, which controls the DSG auto gearbox failed.
Megatronic unit, Clutch & fly wheel needed replacing. Mega bucks as out of 3 yr warranty. Audi Doncaster did not want to know nor did Audi head office.

Apparently this is far more common on Audi’s than you would want to imagine. Its an absolute disgrace.
Modern cars, well many of them are far too complicated and unreliable.
Apparently up to 3 yr old BMW’s are on breakdown trucks more than any other vehicles.
 
In the last 36 yrs since 1986 I have had 8 BMW’s and 2 Merc’s
The only problem i have had is with cars that were 1st registered from 2004 onwards. Previous to that no problems.

[Axholme Lion]

You don't want a VW with a DSG gearbox. If that breaks so will your piggy bank.

Or Audi. My wife has an Audi A3 5yrs old and in May at 44,000 Miles the megatronic unit, which controls the DSG auto gearbox failed.
Megatronic unit, Clutch & fly wheel needed replacing. Mega bucks as out of 3 yr warranty. Audi Doncaster did not want to know nor did Audi head office.

Apparently this is far more common on Audi’s than you would want to imagine. Its an absolute disgrace.
Modern cars, well many of them are far too complicated and unreliable.
Apparently up to 3 yr old BMW’s are on breakdown trucks more than any other vehicles.
 
In the last 36 yrs since 1986 I have had 8 BMW’s and 2 Merc’s
The only problem i have had is with cars that were 1st registered from 2004 onwards. Previous to that no problems.

Audi, VW, Skoda and SEAT are all exactly the same units. As you say there is far too much technology on modern cars which most drivers don't want or don't know how to use. Manufacturers should be more concerned with reliability rather racing to more tech and how much you can integrate a smartphone into your car. Keep it simple.

[idler]

You are spot on there A.L.

[SydneyRover]

Some good numbers here!

''The electric car market is growing quickly, with more than 142,200 pure-electric cars on UK roads at the end of August 2020 - and over 339,000 plug-in models including plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). The most recent set of figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that pure-electric models accounted for 6.4% of total new car registrations, whilst adding in PHEVs takes that figure up to 10%.''

https://www.nextgreencar.com/electric-cars/statistics/

[Donnywolf]

You don't want a VW with a DSG gearbox. If that breaks so will your piggy bank.

Or Audi. My wife has an Audi A3 5yrs old and in May at 44,000 Miles the megatronic unit, which controls the DSG auto gearbox failed.
Megatronic unit, Clutch & fly wheel needed replacing. Mega bucks as out of 3 yr warranty. Audi Doncaster did not want to know nor did Audi head office.

Apparently this is far more common on Audi’s than you would want to imagine. Its an absolute disgrace.
Modern cars, well many of them are far too complicated and unreliable.
Apparently up to 3 yr old BMW’s are on breakdown trucks more than any other vehicles.
 
In the last 36 yrs since 1986 I have had 8 BMW’s and 2 Merc’s
The only problem i have had is with cars that were 1st registered from 2004 onwards. Previous to that no problems.

Audi, VW, Skoda and SEAT are all exactly the same units. As you say there is far too much technology on modern cars which most drivers don't want or don't know how to use. Manufacturers should be more concerned with reliability rather racing to more tech and how much you can integrate a smartphone into your car. Keep it simple.

Agreed AL

The only thing I would like to see is Mobiles being integrated more to prevent people using them whilst holding them. I still see big 4x4s trapping on with the driver either holding the phone to call or probably worse safety wise texting or maybe emailing

I have had hands free in 5 different Cars going back 10 to 12 years and I am SURE they must have hands free in most new cars now so people should use that if they have it

Anyway gone off topic on an off topic thread - so we will have to start a new un !

[EasyforDennis]

You don't want a VW with a DSG gearbox. If that breaks so will your piggy bank.

Or Audi. My wife has an Audi A3 5yrs old and in May at 44,000 Miles the megatronic unit, which controls the DSG auto gearbox failed.
Megatronic unit, Clutch & fly wheel needed replacing. Mega bucks as out of 3 yr warranty. Audi Doncaster did not want to know nor did Audi head office.

Apparently this is far more common on Audi’s than you would want to imagine. Its an absolute disgrace.
Modern cars, well many of them are far too complicated and unreliable.
Apparently up to 3 yr old BMW’s are on breakdown trucks more than any other vehicles.
 
In the last 36 yrs since 1986 I have had 8 BMW’s and 2 Merc’s
The only problem i have had is with cars that were 1st registered from 2004 onwards. Previous to that no problems.

Audi, VW, Skoda and SEAT are all exactly the same units. As you say there is far too much technology on modern cars which most drivers don't want or don't know how to use. Manufacturers should be more concerned with reliability rather racing to more tech and how much you can integrate a smartphone into your car. Keep it simple.

Agreed AL

The only thing I would like to see is Mobiles being integrated more to prevent people using them whilst holding them. I still see big 4x4s trapping on with the driver either holding the phone to call or probably worse safety wise texting or maybe emailing

I have had hands free in 5 different Cars going back 10 to 12 years and I am SURE they must have hands free in most new cars now so people should use that if they have it

Anyway gone off topic on an off topic thread - so we will have to start a new un !

The technology is built into most new cars nowadays. With Android Auto and Apple Carplay nobody needs to touch their phones at all whilst driving.

[SydneyRover]

And the alternate view.

''Electric cars won't solve our pollution problems – Britain needs a total transport rethink''

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/23/electric-cars-transport-train-companies

''A switch to electric cars will reduce pollution. It won’t eliminate it, as a high proportion of the microscopic particles thrown into the air by cars, which are highly damaging to our health, arise from tyres grating on the surface of the road. Tyre wear is also by far the biggest source of microplastics pouring into our rivers and the sea. And when tyres, regardless of the engine that moves them, come to the end of their lives, we still have no means of properly recycling them''

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/23/electric-cars-transport-train-companies

[RobTheRover]

We need Landspeeders from Star Wars.

[DonnyOsmond]

And the alternate view.

''Electric cars won't solve our pollution problems – Britain needs a total transport rethink''

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/23/electric-cars-transport-train-companies

''A switch to electric cars will reduce pollution. It won’t eliminate it, as a high proportion of the microscopic particles thrown into the air by cars, which are highly damaging to our health, arise from tyres grating on the surface of the road. Tyre wear is also by far the biggest source of microplastics pouring into our rivers and the sea. And when tyres, regardless of the engine that moves them, come to the end of their lives, we still have no means of properly recycling them''

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/23/electric-cars-transport-train-companies

Surely a world where there's more home working will help with this? Less cars on the roads.

[Axholme Lion]

And the alternate view.

''Electric cars won't solve our pollution problems – Britain needs a total transport rethink''

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/23/electric-cars-transport-train-companies

''A switch to electric cars will reduce pollution. It won’t eliminate it, as a high proportion of the microscopic particles thrown into the air by cars, which are highly damaging to our health, arise from tyres grating on the surface of the road. Tyre wear is also by far the biggest source of microplastics pouring into our rivers and the sea. And when tyres, regardless of the engine that moves them, come to the end of their lives, we still have no means of properly recycling them''

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/23/electric-cars-transport-train-companies

Surely a world where there's more home working will help with this? Less cars on the roads.

Would you really never want to go out of the house. I couldn't think of anything worse. It's not good for you.

[Janso]

Good thing they don't seal your doors and windows off from the outside the day you agree to work from home, isn't it?

[Axholme Lion]

Good thing they don't seal your doors and windows off from the outside the day you agree to work from home, isn't it?

Maybe that's next on the agenda of barmy ideas?

[adamtherover]

I'm just waiting on the decent ones to come into my price range in the second hand market. Might be a few years yet like, I need something that doesn't take forever to charge and has decent range as I drive all over the country in normal times with Rovers.

last time I checked on auto trador,. The cheapest ev in the country that wasn't a. Micro Car, was a 7k leaf. Stating a range of 50 miles!!!!!!  And that's the issue, once they come down to a modest fee, the batteries are knackered, just like a 5yr old laptop!!

[selby]

  Are they worth the money? the discounts available on diesel cars at the moment buys a lot of free mileage.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I'd love something more environmentally friendly when I get a new car in a year's time.  But looking ahead the price of electric and hybrid vehicles is ludicrous.  Just cannot justify it.

[adamtherover]

I'd love something more environmentally friendly when I get a new car in a year's time.  But looking ahead the price of electric and hybrid vehicles is ludicrous.  Just cannot justify it.

the environmental issue is the elephant in the room, the resources that go into an EV are far higher than a normal car.  And they don't last as long, so you have to make another one at more environmental cost.  The savings on the road with pollution are offset by the manufacturing costs to the earth.  The savings of running costs, are offset by the redic expensive purchase prices..   Still struggling to see the advantage, and we haven't even got to charging times, cables accross pavements. Etc etc and on and on.. 

[Axholme Lion]

I'd love something more environmentally friendly when I get a new car in a year's time.  But looking ahead the price of electric and hybrid vehicles is ludicrous.  Just cannot justify it.

the environmental issue is the elephant in the room, the resources that go into an EV are far higher than a normal car.  And they don't last as long, so you have to make another one at more environmental cost.  The savings on the road with pollution are offset by the manufacturing costs to the earth.  The savings of running costs, are offset by the redic expensive purchase prices..   Still struggling to see the advantage, and we haven't even got to charging times, cables accross pavements. Etc etc and on and on..

I have a Subaru 2 litre AWD petrol engine that is coming up to four years old. I run it on Shell v power petrol and use only castrol fully synthetic engine oil. Properly maintained and serviced there is no reason why I shouldn't get 250-300k miles out of it. It will do 40-45 mpg all day long. To keep this running has got to be far more environmentally sound than trading in for an electric car considering how much carbon footprint and the like goes into producing a new electric car. At the end of the day if I traded it in someone else would buy it and run it so I might as well keep it.